a question: the thread at the craft stores is hand quilting, machine quilting and regular sewing but I have not noticed at Connectng threads there is not that distinction. What do you all use and why. My machine has started jamming with fizzes when I do free style and I'm wondering if it is the thread. I took the machine in and that was a week ago and now it's doing the same thing. I have always hand quilted and this is my first real project doing free style. Any suggestions?

I don't believe that the thread has so much fuzz that it would damage the machine only after a week. There may be a piece of thread deep in the machine. You can try silk thread, which is lint free, or a very fine thread, like Superior Bottom line, which is 60 weight. Your machine may not be jamming because of the thread. Play around with your tension. The settings on the machine have to be adjusted to do free motion.

Maria

Be sure your needle is the correct size for the thread you are using. That is the most important thing about free motion quilting. Every machine is different when it comes to what thread sews the best. I use Connecting threads for piecing and quilting and no problem with lint or breakage. I also use silk, rayon, and poly, all sizes. I keep chart listing what size needle does best with what thread. It take a lot of trial and error to find the right combo.

I usually use Connection Threads thread for quilting. The biggest problem I had was thread breaking, but that was because of me, not the thread.

Hand quilting thread has a glaze on it. Machine quilting thread doesn't have a glaze. Regular sewing thread is usually cotton wrapped poly. Probably the reason Connecting Threads doesn't have that distinction is it's all 100% cotton thread and can be used for either pieceing or quilting.

As to the fuzzies in your machine, are you using cheap thread? Cheap thread tends to have a lot of lint.

I use Coats and Clarks Quilting thread its, the STAR Machine Quiling & Craft thread in the big spools 100% cotton and have never had a problem. You might also want to change your machine needle and see if that doesn't help your problem. I do not like the polyester or some of the Gutterman polyester threads as I've had them fruzz up and break often when quilting. Stick to 100% cotton thread as I think you'll be much happier in the results.

Also, I took a class on machine emboidery several years back and they told me to keep my thread in the refrigerator and not let it dry out if I am machine embroidering so that is what I have done. For that type of work I use a good sharp needle and 100% rayon or silk thread, but never polyester.

Check into the quilting needles, too - they have a groove in that helps ease the thread through.

I have a friend that was having a ton of problems with her sewing machine...she used Coat thread...the man at the repair shop told her to switch thread...and to this day two years later no problems...she told me " invest in the thread" so I did...and bought 100.0 of http://www.sulky.com/ it was buy one get one free week.